Broken
by Gemmi92
Summary: "You were there for me when I needed you, so I will be here because you need me now." Will/OC
1. Chapter 1

He had given her flowers.

He always gave her flowers after fights. It was the only way to make it up to her. He would threaten to leave, but he never did. He would come back in the middle of the night, raging drunk, and that was when the argument would begin. It kept her up late at night. She often never found sleep once he had finished. The arguments had been very few and far between, but they were slowly becoming more frequent.

And then the bruises appeared.

She would cover them as well as she could. She caked her face in make-up, her hair covering her neck and the marks there. She sometimes wore long sleeves and she often kept her head down. She would do her best not to let anyone see.

But Will Graham always saw.

"Rachel-"

"-I have the papers you marked from the other day," she interrupted him before he could say anything else.

She held a stack of papers in her hands, cradling them to her chest and scrunching up the white blouse she wore on her body. She crossed one ankle over the other, her gaze set down on the stack she held.

"I also put the marks on the system in case no one can collect their paper but wants to see the mark," she informed Will before glancing up to him and passing the papers over to him. "You had a student who was searching for you earlier, but I told her that I hadn't seen you."

Will nodded to her and she kept her gaze on him for a few moments as one of her hands tugged at her hair unknowingly and she pushed it down her shoulder. Her honey blonde hair had grown past her shoulders and hung halfway down her back in straight strands. She could try to hide the marks on her skin, but he could see them. She knew that.

"Is there anything else you need or can I go home for the night?" she asked of Will and he shook his head, pulling his glasses from his eyes and folding them into his pocket.

"Are you going back to him?" Will asked of her and she bit down on her bottom lip and shrugged.

He watched her turn around and grab the flowers she had placed into her vase before moving them over on her desk. Will straightened out the grey jacket he wore on his body before looking to the woman whom had become his PA during his time teaching, waiting for her to respond.

"He apologised," Rachel commented.

"He always apologises before he does it again," Will said, refusing to be sensitive around the issue like he knew he should be. "You know that, Rachel."

"It will be different this time," Rachel responded with a small smile to Will as she packed her possessions back into her bag.

"Why?" Will asked. "It is scarcely different because he has sent you a bigger bouquet than usual."

Rachel looked over to Will and glowered for a few moments. He couldn't even look her in the eye. She wondered if he had ever looked her in the eye before. His gaze was shifting anyway but her face, but she could sense that his eyes had settled on the marks on her neck.

She was usually grateful that he didn't look her in the eye. If he did then he would note how her mascara was threatening to run down her cheek. It always happened when she didn't need it to happen.

"And what should I do?" Rachel whispered in the small office which Will rarely used. "I live in the same apartment as him. I have no money to move out with...I can't leave...he promised me things would be different this time."

Will inhaled sharply and he took a step closer to her. He moved his hands to rest on her desk as she stood the other side of it, zipping up the tote bag she always carried around with her. She draped it over her shoulder and grabbed the red winter coat she always wore to rest over her arm.

"What about your parents?" Will asked of her.

"They don't know anything," Rachel said. "I told them about Andrew, but they are all the way in Canada. They still have Chloe to put through college and dad is working two jobs to help her...mom has enough on her plate with the twins."

Will took a moment to shake his head as he heard her. He often wondered what ran through her mind, but he did his best to find out by looking at her. It was a talent he had. He could read people better than a book. He could put themselves into their position, but Rachel was different. He rarely wanted to put himself in her position for fear of knowing what had happened to her. She was his PA, but she was a good one. She had always been there for Will when he needed her.

"You know that you...well...I'm sure...I can..." Will stammered as he searched for the right phrasing. "I have a sofa."

He blurted out those three words so fast that Rachel scarcely comprehended what he was saying. She gave him a kind smile and shook her head, her hand skimming the petal on the bouquet of large flowers.

"Thanks, Will," she said to him, "but I'm fine...everything will be fine...Andrew will have calmed down and we will be alright this time."

She began to sweep from the office, but Will grabbed her wrist to stop her. He continued to look down to the floor, his gaze content there instead of her wide green eyes. He shook his head as Rachel stared at his well chiselled face and he raked his free hand through his mop of dark curls.

"It has gotten worse, Rachel," he informed her. "It was bruises first...and then a cut...a split lip...and now your neck-"

"-Don't analyse me, Will," Rachel said, her voice sounding more pleading than demanding. "I'm not one of your students."

"But you are my colleague," Will declared to her. "I recognise the signs of strangulation, Rachel. His hands were around your neck and he left marks. How do you think this will play out? It keeps getting worse."

"Don't," Rachel said, her voice threatening to break as Will stepped closer to her, his grip on her wrist lighter and he looked to her face, gazing at her as she glanced to the ceiling.

"You're scared," Will whispered. "I can see it, Rachel. You're scared of what he will do, but you're scared to leave him."

Rachel's hand shook as Will kept her wrist in his grip and she finally looked to him and he dared to move his other hand to her neck, stroking her hair away as his thumb ran the length of the marks she was trying to hide. He remained silent, but he knew that he had been silent for too long on the matter.

"I should have intervened-"

"-No," Rachel said. "It is not your fight, Will. I can cope. I have coped."

"I understand how scared you are," Will promised her. "But you can't go back to him, Rachel. You need to recognise that."

"No," Rachel shook her head and pulled her wrist from Will's hand. "I have to go, Will. I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

"No," Will declared to her. "Rachel, what kind of a man will I be if I let you go back to him? I cannot let you go back."

"You don't control me, Will," Rachel hissed and she stormed over to the door. "Look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Will could say nothing more to her as she ran away from him and shut the door to his small office. He inhaled sharply and closed his eyes at her behaviour before resting on the back of his desk and wondering what more he could do.

...

A/N: So I recently became a Hannibal fan and this is my attempt at a Will/OC story! Do let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

"Rachel?"

Will called his PA's name the following morning when he walked into the office he rarely used. He had tried to chase after Rachel the previous night, but she had escaped his gaze and ran off. He hadn't seen her car parked in the parking lot and so he assumed she had left. He didn't know how he had missed her. Her old VW was barely road worthy.

But she had gone and Will had let her.

It was only the following morning when he realised that he should have chased her and been quicker.

She wasn't in the office, but he soon found where she was.

"Mr Graham?"

Will turned his head around as he stood in the doorway to his office, a familiar looking brunette student staring at him with wide eyes.

"What is it?" Will wondered from her, looking over her shoulder for any sign of Rachel.

"I think your...well...secretary...she's in the bathroom," the girl said. "I think she is crying. I thought that I should tell you. She didn't answer when I knocked on the door."

Will nodded his thanks and swept past the girl and moved towards the bathroom. He ran his sweating palms down the front of his grey pants as he made his way to the ladies bathroom. He took a deep breath before stepping inside, peering his head around to make sure that no one was in the room. Thankfully the coast was clear. Will took a step further into the bathroom and saw the closed door at the end of the rows.

"You do know that there is a staff bathroom?" Will called out. "It might have been quieter in there."

He heard no response from her, but he did hear a loud sniff. He remained silent as he stood by the door and leant against the wall to the side of him. He folded his arms over his chest and waited for her to open the door. He said nothing, but he gave her the space she needed. He knew that was important for her. He couldn't force her to do something she didn't want to do.

It took a few more moments before the door opened outwards and Will stepped around it, his fingers curling over the frame as he did so. He looked down to the floor where Rachel was sat, her legs curled underneath her. Will could barely contain the gulp which escaped him at the sight of her.

"Rachel," he whispered her name.

"I...I can't..." she blubbered as Will knelt down in front of her.

He studied her appearance for a few moments. He noted how she wore a short black dress on her body. It barely covered her thighs and her legs were bare and pale. Heels were tossed to the other side of the cubicle and the make-up she wore was ruined on her face. He could see that she had attempted to curl her hair, but the curls were slowly falling out. But it was scarcely her appearance which took Will's attention.

It was the bruises on her face.

"What did he do to you?" Will asked of her and she remained curled in a ball, unable to think of moving.

"We were supposed to go out," Rachel whispered, looking down to her lap as Will followed her stare. "Andrew said that he would apologise and take me for a meal...but...he saw me...I was speaking to another man...he was asking me...just questions...and Andrew...we didn't even get home when he...he turned on me..."

Will felt his blood boil at the sight of her and he dared to move his hand out and run it down her cheek and over her bruise. She sobbed and her cheek seemed to press closer to Will's hand which startled him slightly. She placed a hand to her mouth as a loud sob escaped her and will stood up. He offered her his hand and hauled her to her feet.

"You're not just my PA," Will said to her. "You're...I don't know...but I won't let you go back to him. You can't go back."

Rachel said nothing as she kept hold of Will's hand and he shrugged out of his tweed jacket. He draped it around her shoulders and she clung onto its lapels and pulled it tighter around her body. Her mascara ran down her face as the tears continued to flow and Will looked around the bathroom.

"Why did you come here?" he asked her.

"I didn't know where else to go," she muttered. "I have nowhere else."

"I...well...I said you could have my sofa," Will told her and she nodded. "Do you still need it?"

She nodded again and Will sighed.

"Well, let's take you there then," he declared. "But I am calling the police as soon as we're there."

"You can't," Rachel quickly spoke. "Please, Will, you can't call the police. I'll leave him...but don't..."

"He cannot get away with this," Will informed her. "It isn't right, Rachel. He has committed a crime and he has hurt you. Would you let him get away with that?"

"Please," Rachel tried again, her voice small and broken.

Will had never seen her look so fragile as he did that morning. He hesitantly placed his hand on her back, but his hand didn't touch her skin as he led her out of the bathroom. People looked on with wonder as Will ignored his class and asked a passing teacher to cover it for him. He led her to his car after sensing that she was in no fit state to drive. He helped her into the vehicle and she kept her head bowed as he drove her back to his house.

Rachel was doing her best not to look at Will. She didn't know why he was being so kind, but she was grateful for it. She glanced up at Will's isolated house as they approached it on a dirt track. She climbed out the car and Will led her up the steps towards the front door where she heard the barking of dogs.

"How many dogs do you keep?" Rachel managed to ask as they stepped into the house and the dogs moved around Will's feet and he ordered them to keep calm.

"It depends," Will admitted to her as she closed the door behind them. "I take in stray dogs when I see them."

"I see," Rachel whispered. "You must really like dogs then."

Rachel bent down and ran a hand through one of the dog's fur as he nuzzled closer to her. Will watched her with intent for a few moments as Winston seemed to cosy up to her. He scratched the back of his neck and nodded his head to the sight.

"He seems to like you," Will commented.

"What's his name?"

"Winston," Will said. "He's been with me for a while now."

"He's adorable," Rachel whispered.

Nodding, Will took a moment to look around his living room before he saw his bed through the archway and he gulped, knowing that he should do the gallant thing and offer her his bed. She straightened up and Will took a moment to look her up and down again.

"Can I use your bathroom?" she asked of him.

"Of course," Will said, recalling how he rarely let anyone into his house, never mind spend time there. But Will had never been in a situation like this. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Rachel whispered as he showed her to the bathroom on the ground floor. "I'm fine...thanks..."

Will watched her close the door and he moved his pyjamas from the bed and pulled the curtains shut so that the light was closed out. He urged the dogs back to their baskets so that they didn't startle Rachel anymore. Will checked the watch he wore, realising that he could make it to his afternoon class if he left Rachel alone.

But would she be alright alone? Will would have to ask, but he didn't want to leave her in such a state.

She soon came out of the bedroom and he saw that she had cleared her face. She looked much paler and gaunter than before, and the purple bruise on her cheek was more visible. Will took in a sharp breath at the sight of her and motioned towards his bed.

"You can sleep in the bed," he urged her.

"Do you not sleep upstairs?" she wondered from him.

"No," Will said, watching as she looked to his bed underneath the window. "I prefer to live downstairs...in case anyone is outside...I feel safer..."

"I'd always feel safer upstairs," Rachel whispered and Will could sense an awkward silence forming between them.

He coughed into his fist as Rachel ran a hand down her arm and wondered what he was going to say to her. She kept quiet, standing by the bed and wondering how he would react if she simply crawled into it and fell asleep. It was all she wanted to do.

"I have a class this afternoon," Will suddenly said. "I don't have to go if you don't want me to-"

"-No," she shook her head at him. "You go. I'll be fine here if that's alright."

"Perfectly so," Will promised her and gave her a sad smile. "We'll talk more when I come back. The dogs should be no problem and if you need anything then you have my number."

"I am your PA," she offered him a slim smile, but he could see that she was forcing it.

Will smiled back and he quickly left her alone. He had only just gotten to the door when he heard her climb into his bed and lay down. She curled into a ball and fell asleep as Will gave her another disheartened stare and he knew what he had to do.

...

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read the first chapter and I hope you'll let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Will returned home later in the evening to find Rachel sat on the porch in nothing but the black dress she wore. He could see that the hairs on her arm were standing tall and her face was pale. Will shook his head as he pushed his keys into his grey coat pocket before standing before Rachel as she looked up to him.

"What are you doing out here, Rachel?" Will wondered of her and she shrugged to him.

"I needed fresh air," she replied. "I let your dogs out. They're running through the snow for a little bit."

"No worries," Will promised her, "but you should have taken my jacket if you wanted to come out here. I don't want you to die from a cold."

Rachel managed a small smile as Will sat down next to her and she laced her fingers together. She leant forwards, her dress riding up her thighs far too much for Will's comfort. He tried to ignore her bare skin, but he couldn't help but notice the bruises which sat there too. He dreaded to think what Andrew had done to her in the past. He didn't want to know, but he was well aware that he had to keep her away from him.

"Did you find those papers?" Rachel suddenly asked. "I should have mentioned earlier that there was some kind of meeting the other night you couldn't attend and they gave me the minutes for it. I only thought about it when I woke up earlier."

Will sighed and continued to glance over at his PA's face with a lack of understanding. How could she be so bothered by something like that? He didn't know.

"Forget about the minutes," he urged her in a small voice. "They don't matter. What matters is doing the right thing now, Rachel."

Shaking her head slowly, Rachel moved to stand. She ran her hands down her legs to pull her dress down and she walked into Will's house once more. Will sighed lowly and called for the dogs to come back to him. They ran with haste as Will followed Rachel and closed the door behind him. She was stood by the bed, pulling his duvet cover tidily over the mattress.

"Rachel," Will spoke her name again, "we need to talk about what happened. You cannot keep ignoring everything. You know that."

"I'm not."

"Then what do you intend to do?" he demanded of her.

"I don't know," she admitted to Will. "What do you think I should do, Will? Calling the police is not an option for me."

"Why isn't it?" Will demanded. "Your boyfriend has been beating you. He deserves everything that happens to him."

"And me?" Rachel wondered of Will. "I don't want to go through a trial, Will. I don't want to go to police...explain everything that has happened...relive it all...I can't do that. I just can't go through it. And what happens to him? He'll go to prison...for how long? A couple of years? And when he comes out then what do you think he will do?"

"What do you think he will do if he doesn't go to jail?" Will asked of her.

"I don't know!" Rachel yelled at him, her body shaking as she did so. "I don't know, but I don't want to do it. I don't want to go to the police...I want...I want to go...I just want to leave him...but he won't leave me alone, Will. He'll never leave me alone."

Will wondered what to say to Rachel as she stood tall, her arms flapping by her side as she did so. He had never seen anyone look such a mess before. It took him a few minutes to gather his thoughts before he walked over to her and she remained still, her gaze set on Will.

"You have to leave him," Will sternly told her, "but I'll help you do it, Rachel. You don't need to be alone."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Why do you want to help me?" she whispered. "I'm just your PA...and I...I..."

"You're not just my PA, Rachel," Will promised her. "We may not be best friends, but I'm not the kind of man to leave you to suffer...no man I know would do that...so no, Rachel, I will not let you go back to him and I will not let him hurt you either."

It took Rachel a few minutes to let herself go fully. She moved closer to Will and slowly wrapped her arms around him underneath his arms. Will stood stiffly as he took a moment to comprehend what she was doing. He slowly moved his own arms around her, his palm resting in the small of her back as her chin went to his shoulder.

"Thank you," Rachel whispered in a small voice. "Thank you for everything."

"You don't need to thank me," Will promised her.

It was only then when she heard her cell begin to ring from her bag. She looked over to it by the side of the bed and Will watched as she released him and moved to take hold of the phone. She knelt down and rummaged around, her hands shaking as she checked the caller ID. Will watched her hesitance and he knew who it was without needing to question her. She gulped lowly and he watched her reject the call.

"That will have pissed him right off," Rachel whispered in a small voice about the fact she had just rejected the call.

"Pissing him off should be the least of your concerns," Will replied. "But you do need to go and pick all of your stuff up from your apartment."

"I can't," Rachel said. "He'll be expecting me to come home and I can't go back. I don't know what kind of mood he will be in and that scares me."

"I'll come with you."

"Are you crazy?" she quickly replied to Will. "What do you think he will do if he finds out I've stayed here? Do you think that he will welcome you into the apartment? Will, it is too dangerous...I'll...I'll just wait until he goes to work tomorrow morning...and pick everything that I need up then..."

Will took a sharp breath as her phone began to ring again. She shook her head as she heard it and picked it up. She tossed it against the wall and it broke into multiple pieces. Will did a double take at the sight of her, but he said nothing as she slumped down to the ground, her hands over her eyes as she did so.

She sank down the edge of the bed, her knees hugged against her chest as Will shook his head slowly.

"You're not coping," Will whispered so that she couldn't hear him.

Rachel's hands continued to cover her eyes as she sobbed and Will knew that he could only try to talk to her, but he couldn't help her. He wasn't trained to know what was going on in her mind. She needed someone else. She needed someone who could help her. Will didn't know what more he could do but sit behind her and rest his hand on her shoulder as he contemplated telling her what may be for the best.

If only he knew that Hannibal Lecter would be no good for her as he held her shoulder. That was the one thing he would live to regret.

...

Will had left Rachel alone the following morning, telling her to take another day off. She had nodded and asked if he could go with her later on in the day to pick all of her belongings up from the apartment. Will had nodded to her and she had smiled softly. He had let her sleep in his bed again the previous night as he took the sofa. She wore one of his shirts on her body in comparison to her small dress.

Going to work had never bothered Will before, but that morning was completely different. He walked into his office and his mouth gaped at the sight in front of him. He clenched his hands into fists as he saw the man stood before him, his upper thighs resting against the back of Will's desk.

He wore a sharp and crisp suit and his black hair was smoothed back from his face. He had a distinct jaw and pale blue eyes which Will could sense were full of lies and deceit. He didn't need to ask who he was. Will already knew.

"What are you doing here?" Will snapped and the man cocked a brow.

"And who are you?"

"Well, you are in my office," Will hissed. "Shouldn't you know the answer to that question?"

He seemed annoyed, but he said nothing. Will pursed his lips and folded his hands over his plaid shirt, waiting for the man to speak. Will had no intention of making the first move with him. He was better than that.

"Where is Rachel?"

"She isn't here," Will quickly responded to him.

"I can see that," he responded. "But where is she?"

"I wouldn't know," Will lied. "And even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you where she was either."

That seemed to get a rise out of him. "Do you know who I am?"

Will snorted at that and rolled his eyes into the back of his head at what he was hearing. Andrew Manderly was not a man who was to be trifled with. Will could sense that much, but Will struggled to care. He struggled to resist the urge to call security. The only thing stopping him was Rachel's scared face from the night before. He had never seen her look so frightened at the thought of calling the police.

"Andrew Madnerly," Will nodded. "I know about you. I also know what you have done to Rachel."

Andrew looked slightly taken back, but Will didn't know why. He had given her bruises. He always sent flowers after he gave her them, but it was never enough as far as Will was concerned. A bouquet of flowers didn't make up for what he had done.

"You shouldn't look shocked," Will warned him. "Do you think I haven't noticed her coming into work with bruises? She plasters make up on her face, but it is never enough really."

"I came here to find her," Andrew drawled. "If she is not here then I will go and look elsewhere."

"Maybe she doesn't want to be found?" Will suggested and Andrew scoffed lowly at that. "Maybe she's gone for good...left you...all alone...can you blame her? She might not want to be used as your personal punching bag."

"How dare you," Andrew seethed and Will jumped back as the man stood tall and moved towards him.

"Don't even think about it," Will said in a dangerous and low voice. "I can have security here in a flash."

Andrew smirked smugly and Will wondered what a girl like Rachel had seen in a guy like Andrew. He was nothing but a pompous ass. Will could sense that much. He watched as Andrew picked his briefcase up from the floor and held it to his side, buttoning up his suit jacket.

"I will find her," Andrew whispered in a low voice. "And you'll do well to stay away from her."

"That might be hard to do considering I'm her boss," Will whispered, pushing his glasses further onto his nose as he did so. "But if she does come back then don't be too offended if I don't let you know."

Andrew smirked and left the office as Will remained still, making sure he had gone before he slammed the door to his office and sank down into his chair. He kept silent as he raked a hand through his hair and wondered how much of a problem Andrew was going to be.

...

A/N: Thanks to everyone reading and please do review!


	4. Chapter 4

"He did what?"

Rachel could scarcely believe what she was hearing from Will. He had come home later that evening with a bag of Chinese takeout in his hands and retold her of how her boyfriend had come by his office that day. He was sat on his sofa as Rachel sat on the floor by the fireplace, picking at the noodles and twirling them with a fork after failing to use chopsticks.

"He moved towards me and looked as though as he wanted to punch me," Will informed her, leaning forwards and continuing to pick at the sweet and sour chicken he was eating. "He is a dangerous man, Rachel."

"Yeah, I've guessed that." Rachel whispered, unable to think of what else to say.

Will looked to her as she moved a shaking hand through her long, blond hair to push it from her face. She placed her plate down and looked to the side, shocked that the dogs hadn't come to eat at her plate. She remembered her childhood dog was always waiting to pounce for food.

"Rachel," Will whispered her name in a soft and small voice.

He struggled to look her in the eye as she looked to him, wondering what he was going to say to her now. She was still, unable to pick up any more food from her plate. She found that she had no need for food as her appetite had completely left.

"I'm worried about you," Will suddenly declared and Rachel cocked her head to the side, her brow arching as she waited for him to continue. "What I saw yesterday…the breakdown…I don't think it is healthy for you to…well…I think…maybe it would be better for you to go and see someone."

It took her a brief moment to put together what he was saying to her. She crossed her legs tightly then, moving them upwards until she could rest her chin on her kneecaps. Her hair fell around her face and Will put his plate on the arm of the sofa, moving slowly to the floor until his legs were outstretched in front of him. He bent one knee and hooked his arm around it, his gaze on Rachel's face as she struggled to think of something to say.

"I know that it might not be what you want," Will informed her, "but it might help in the long run for you…I can only imagine what you've been through."

"Nothing that I didn't bring on myself," Rachel whispered and Will shook his head.

"Absolutely not true," Will said, refusing to let her believe that. "You did not ask to be hurt by him."

"But I knew," Rachel responded. "I know how angry he can get and I still pushed him…I still did things to upset him…and I should have stopped that. I should have thought."

"No," Will snapped at Rachel, causing her to look back over to him, shocked at the sound of his voice for a moment as he did so. "Don't you dare talk like that, Rachel. Do you think that the bruises covering you are deserved? That a man should hurt you like that?"

She looked down to the floor and Will wondered just how much pain and suffering she had been through and what went through her mind. He could see that she was feeling vulnerable. She was a victim, but she saw herself as the guilty party. Will just needed her to see that none of this was her fault. She never asked for this. She only asked for Andrew's love. And for that she had been prepared to put up with his abuse for a longer time than most.

"No," Rachel finally managed to whisper to Will, looking up and meeting his gaze. "And I…I don't want to go back to him…I don't want to see him again…"

"And you don't have to," Will told her. "You can go to the police and file a restraining order. You don't have to see him."

"But I'm scared," Rachel admitted to him. "Whenever I hear any noise I think that it will be him coming back for me. And then I think about how bad it would be if he did find me…if I had gone back when I should have then he might not have hurt me…not like he will if he finds me."

"If you went to him then you would never have left him," Will concluded. "You are better off here, Rachel. We will fetch your things when he is not in, but I really do advise you to call the police."

Rachel shook her head. "That scares me just as much," she admitted.

"You're not alone, Rachel," he informed her. "You have your family. I am sure they would be happy to have you back home and they will want to know about what has happened. You can talk to them."

"And they will tell me that I should have told them sooner," Rachel shrugged slowly. "I don't want to discuss this, Will."

"Bottling it up is not healthy, Rachel," Will responded.

Rachel had to laugh at that. She was being told that by Will Graham. The man was the professional at bottling his emotions and keeping them under guard. He rarely said anything out of turn to anyone and he kept himself to himself. She knew he had a sordid past. He used to be on active duty in the FBI until he turned to teaching. He had been involved in a case that had gone completely wrong.

"Will, no offence, but you know everything about bottling things up," Rachel told him.

It was then when Will's lips pulled upwards and he nodded to the ground in agreement with her. "I'm an anomaly."

"That you are," Rachel managed to agree with him, throwing a small smile over to him. "Anyway, I'll wash the dishes. Thanks for dinner."

Will looked between both of their plates and moved to stand up as Rachel moved too. The checked shirt she wore of Will's dropped to her thighs and the long pants she wore of his were too big around her waist. Will was well aware that she was in need of her own, well-fitted clothes.

"We barely ate anything," Will mused. "I'll save it for tomorrow."

Will placed the remains in Tupperware boxes as Rachel ran the hot water into the basin. She rolled her sleeves up and Will looked behind his shoulder as he placed the boxes into the fridge, his gaze wide as he followed Rachel's movements.

"Will," Rachel called his name as she turned the water off. "Are you expecting company?"

Will shut the fridge door and moved to stand beside Rachel at the sink, looking out of the window and onto the snow covered ground. "No," Will said. "I don't do company."

But there sat a car on the snow, the headlights glaring towards Will's house. It was another moment before a loud banging on the door began and Rachel shrieked loudly as the dogs began to bark. Will cautiously stepped in front of her as the banging continued. He found himself wondering who was making such a noise as he stepped out and towards the door.

"I know she's in there!"

Rachel froze at his voice and Will inhaled a sharp breath. How the hell had Andrew managed to find him at his home? Will had thought that it was a remote enough place to stay hidden from unwanted visitors.

"Shit," Rachel muttered and moved her hands to her head, holding it as the yells continued at the front door.

Will moved to Rachel with haste, taking hold of her by the shoulders tightly, looking her in the eye. "Go upstairs and stay hidden. I will get rid of him. Do you understand me?"

"No," Rachel shook her head with haste, her own hands moving to take hold of Will's upper arms as she shook him hastily and her hair clouded her cheeks as deep pants escaped her and the fire inside of her began to rise up. "He could hurt you, Will."

"I have no intention of letting him in," Will promised her, his hands moving from her shoulders to her cheeks, holding them softly as his forehead moved closer to hers. "He is not getting in this house, but I need you to hide."

Rachel suspected she was running out of options as Will guided her towards the staircase, his hand on the small of her back to urge her up the creaking staircase. She went with haste, her hand holding the bannister as Will watched her go, only satisfied once he had heard the door close to his empty bedroom.

Taking a shaky breath, Will moved over to the door that Andrew was still banging on, resting his back against it as he called out from the safe side of the wood.

"What do you want, Madnerly?" Will demanded from him and the banging stopped.

"I know she is in there," Andrew snapped back. "She is not with her parents. She is not at home. She has no friends."

"She has no friends because you told her not to, correct?" Will demanded to know. "So that you could control her to the best of you ability? Is that why she is alone?"

"Do not presume to tell me how to treat her," Andrew snarled back. "Now, just give her to me and I shall leave here with no trouble following me. But she is mine, Graham."

"She is not a possession," Will spoke back, his brows furrowed together as he wondered how anyone could treat a woman in such a manner. Will had been raised with more respect than that. "She is her own person and she is not here, but even if she was I would not give her to you. She is damaged because of you."

"I did nothing," Andrew snapped through the wood, the banging of a fist to emphasis his words as Will scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Rachel is my girlfriend."

"Not anymore, I don't think," Will replied and there was another bang on the door. "And threatening me will not let you into this house. As I told you, she is not here."

"Then why do you not let me in to check?"

"Do you think I am stupid?"

There was a brief silence at the questions went unanswered and Will did his best to remain composed. A part of him wanted nothing more than to go outside and pummel Andrew to the ground for what he had done to Rachel. Will knew that he should never have let it come this far. At first Rachel's answers had kept him content when she had turned into work with the odd bruise. But then he saw the marks grow and develop into cuts. Will should have called the police and gone against Rachel's wishes. He should have stopped this sooner. Rachel was the only person Will could class as someone who was more than an acquaintance, and not just because she knew his itinerary or helped him with a bowtie when he needed help. It was because she was there when he wanted someone just to talk to. When he needed someone to tell him that the world was alright, not full of serial killers.

"I'll call the police," Will declared. "If you do not get off my property in the next minute then I will call the police and tell them everything."

"Are you threatening me?" The surprise in his voice was almost palpable and Will gulped.

"You could say that," he declared. "I have no intention of letting you inside so leave. Unless you want me to explain to the police how you came here to harass me in the middle of the night? I suppose I could always drop in a mention of what you did to Rachel too?"

"And do you think that they would believe you?" Andrew wondered.

"Do you want to take the chance?" Will wondered back. "I was a field agent before I became a lecturer. Who do you think they are more likely to believe?"

Silence engulfed the house then and Will moved his back from the wood, sweat forming on his brow as the sudden noise of a car starting up filled his ears. After a moment the noise of the engine quietened before disappearing completely. Turning his head over his shoulder at the noise of the staircase creaking, Will saw Rachel stood there, her hands by her side as she looked down to him.

"He's gone?" Rachel meekly asked from Will.

"He's gone," Will promised her, both of them stood where they were and continued to stare at each other. "You're safe, Rachel."

….

Rachel couldn't sit down as she stood in the hallway of the Doctor's home, Will leant against the wall near the door as they waited to be called in. Rachel was pacing back and forth, dressed in thick black tights underneath a simple black dress. She had managed to buy some clothes online after vowing never to return to the apartment. Will had promised to come with her to the apartment, but she had refused.

There was nothing there she needed or truly wanted.

"Rachel, you should sit down," Will declared, his hands in his coat pocket. "There is nothing to be nervous about."

Scoffing, Rachel shook her head at that part and Will dared to move closer to her, his hand moving to her shoulder to stop the continuous pacing. She stilled and turned her gaze to Will who gave her a soft smile and a squeeze on the shoulder.

"I don't know why you thought this would help," Rachel whispered to him. "I'm not crazy, Will."

"I know that," Will promised her. "But you have been through a lot. Talking to someone might just help you feel better."

"Or he will think I am crazy?" Rachel retorted. "Get inside my head and call me nuts…"

"That's not what-"

"-Yes it is," Rachel retorted and shrugged Will's hand from her to wrap her arms around herself. "Besides, how am I meant to pay for this? I haven't been to work in a week…I haven't even left your house until today."

"Don't worry about the money," Will declared.

"I'm not your burden, Will," Rachel declared.

"You are not a burden to me," Will promised her. "You are one of my friends, Rachel, and you need help. I am here to give it to you just like any friend would."

She settled down in a seat then, her arms draping together and crossing at the wrists over her kneecap as she inhaled a sharp breath and nodded her head, looking to the floor as her feet tapped out of nerves.

"I've never really had friends," Rachel admitted.

Chuckling, Will went to sit on the sofa next to her, leaning forwards just like her.

"You're not the only one," he promised her and she turned her gaze to him as he managed a slim smile. "But I suspect that this is what friends do for one another."

"What?" Rachel wondered. "They protect them from their crazy boyfriends and take them to see shrinks to keep them sane?"

"Something like that," Will declared.

It was only a moment later when the door opened to reveal a tall man stood there, dressed in an impeccable suit. Rachel automatically leapt to her feet as Will leisurely stood behind her, a hand moving to the small of her back in a reassuring manner.

"Mr Graham?" the man asked, his voice with a distinct accent as he moved forwards to shake Will's hand.

Rachel examined the man with intrigue, unable not to recognise his sharp bone structure and distinct features. His face was pale and all angles whilst his gaze seemed intense.

"Dr Lecter," Will greeted him back. "This is Rachel…who I was telling you about."

Lecter turned his gaze to Rachel and offered her his hand too. "Pleasure to meet you, Rachel."

"You too, Dr Lecter," Rachel responded.

"Right, well, should we get started?" Lecter asked her, his arm outstretched to the door.

Rachel took a moment to nod before following him, allowing him to hold the door open for her. She took one last anxious glance back to Will who managed a small nod and a smile for her before the door closed on Hannibal's private study and the session began. Taking a seat, Will tossed his head back and closed his eyes back, wondering just exactly what Hannibal Lecter would discover.


End file.
